Wretched Existance
by moriartyswife
Summary: I'd watched him from a distance for four years. He was an incomplete vampire, who refused to drink human blood. Not that any of that mattered to me. He was so handsome and kind, and my age. I wanted nothing more than to be friends with him, but never had the courage to say more than a few words to him. But, now he needs me. If I let him drink my blood, we can be together, forever.
1. Chapter 1

I'd watched him from a distance for four years. He was an incomplete vampire, who refused to drink human blood. This left his eyes a bright blue color. Not that any of that mattered to me. He was so handsome and kind, and my age. I wanted nothing more than to be friends with him, but I'd never had the courage to say more than a few words to him. From my balcony in my bedroom in Ferid's mansion, I watched him walking up the front steps to meet Ferid.

In this underground city, everything was dark. Dark colors, gloomy humans, and no sunlight. I much preferred Nagoya, where my father lives. But he was away on business, so I got sent here, to this boring city. The only thing that made my day seem brighter was seeing him. I chewed on my lip. Why couldn't he notice me?

"Mika!" Ferid sang his name.

"Mika," I said softly. Even his name made me smile.

As he reached the top stair, his head raised and his eyes met mine for a single second. Stumbling back into my room, I slammed the balcony door shut. Leaning against it, my hand went to my chest. My heart raced. Did he hear me? Or was it just a coincidence? Maybe he wasn't even looking at me. A small laugh escaped my lips. He definitely looked at me.

"And then you ran away like a chicken," I chastised myself. My mind started turning. Do I look okay? Should I change? In the bathroom, I jerked my maroon hair out of the messy ponytail and brushed it out. Chewing on my lip, I started to braid it around like a crown, twisting a hair tie to hold it together in the back.

My stomach growled. It had been a while since I ate human food. Being half human and half vampire could be exhausting. Blood wasn't enough. Human food wasn't enough. It drove me nuts. If I go through the west hallway to the basically unused kitchen, I should be able to avoid Ferid and Mika. I am not mentally prepared to see him.

The light in the kitchen flickered as I flipped the switch. This being my first time in here since I'd come back, I searched through everything. There wasn't a cooking utensil missing. And, the fridge was stocked with fresh ingredients, all things that I liked to eat. Ferid could be eccentric, but he did always take really good care of me when I stayed here.

Licking my lips, I pulled out the ingredients to make pancakes. Breakfast food is my ultimate weakness. It didn't take long to mix all the stuff together and warm up the pan. Only making enough for three pancakes, I set the fluffy stack on a plate. Before I drowned them in syrup, I found some fresh strawberries. They were hard to come by so I couldn't resist. Cutting them too fast, the blade sliced my palm. "Ouch."

"Are you alright?" Mika's voice came from behind me. The light above me shadowed as he leaned over me from behind. His eyes watched the blood slide down my hand. As my mind reeled for any words, Mika took my wrist and brought my hand up to his mouth, licking away the blood.

My face flushed, burning with heat. The cut was deep, but it wouldn't take more than a few minutes to heal. I'm sure he could hear my heart pounding in my chest, since he'd pulled me back against his body. Ferid had mentioned that Mika hadn't drank human blood in the four years that he'd been turned. It must be hard.

"Why does your blood taste so good?" Mika mumbled under his breath before licking up the fresh blood oozing out. His tongue felt warm on my skin, making me blush again.

"Because I'm half human," I said, swallowing down my fears. His eyes widened in fear, so I quickly added, "But it won't turn you, I promise."

"How do you know?" Mika asked, disgust in his voice. There was no way to tell if it was at me or himself.

I turned my head away. "I just do. My blood taste like human blood, but it won't turn anyone because of my vampire genes." The memories of those days plagued my nightmares. All the testing. All the experimenting. Worst of all, I'd learned that both of the races, human or vampire, were cruel. There was no escaping this messed up world.

"Bad memories?" Mika asked, pulling away. He ran his hand through his blond hair. When I didn't answer, he smiled softly. "Karina, I'm sorry. I'm not usually like this."

He knows my name! That made me blush. "It's okay. It must be hard holding for almost four years." Gees, that makes me sound like a stalker. "I-I mean…" I couldn't find any coherent words with him standing so close to me. "Um... you can… have more, if you want. I-I don't mind." To make up for my unconvincing words, I smiled. I really didn't mind if it meant spending more time with him.

Mika stared at me for a moment. His thirst showed in his blue eyes. "I'm sorry," he muttered before pulling me close to him, sinking his fangs into my neck.

No one has ever bit me before. It's no wonder humans struggle so much. It hurts! Biting my lip, I grabbed onto his shirt. My heart beat a little faster. He smells good… My cheeks grew hot as I realized how close we were. If only…

An idea popped into my head. He kind of needs me! If I let him drink my blood, we can be together more often. It's perfect! No one has to know he's doing it. I smiled, fighting the urge to touch his beautiful blond hair.

Mika pulled away, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Thank you." Awkwardly, he rubbed the back of his neck. "I interrupted your lunch."

I shrugged. "It's okay. It's still warm" I sat down on the floor with the plate of pancakes, and to my surprise, Mika sat beside me. "I'd offer you some pancakes, but I'm just really selfish," I joked out of nervousness. He looked so sad all the time, and made my heart hurt.

A smile grew on his face. "I don't think that's true. Most anyone would have been appalled at the idea of me drinking their blood, human or vampire."

I stuffed a big bite of pancake in my mouth to keep from saying something stupid. Every time I glanced at him, he was staring at me, puzzled. Swallowing my mouthful, I asked, "Mika?"

He blinked. "Have we met before?"

"Recently or…"

"When I was younger," He clarified.

With a nod of my head, I swirled around the last pancake piece in the syrup. "The first year you were brought here. We were both eight at the time." I paused at his confused stare. "Believe it or not, I'm actually only sixteen. I mean, I'll be this way forever. From all the research, they think I won't age past this, since I'm done growing." With a smile, I continued the story. "That other boy, um…"

"Yu," Mika said. Hurt was laced in his voice, and… longing?

I nodded again. "Yeah, I met him first. He tried to kill me."

Mika's eyes grew wide. "That was you?"

Laughing, the memory replayed in my mind. At least Mika remembers it. Yu hadn't wasted any time trying to kill me when he learned that I was half vampire. "My hair was way shorter and messy."

"I should have recognized all the freckles." Mika smiled. The longer we sat tighter, the more he relaxed.

I shook my head. "I hate them. Seriously, I am the only vampire with freckles. "Embarrassment coursed through me. That was the one thing I wished I could change. No other vampires had them. I think it had to do with their transformation.

His head fell to the side and he laughed.

What's so funny? I wish I knew so I could do it again. Mika's laugh was _so_ attractive. Pushing down the growing feelings, I stared at him. It surprised me when he traced his fingers down my cheek. He's touching me!

"I like them," Mika said, leaning in closer. "They're like a little map of your face." Just when I thought I might explode, Mika sat back like nothing happened. "Why did Yu try to hurt you? I don't think he ever told me."

The way he asked showed that he cared about this boy. Vampires don't tend to care for anyone else, unless they're eccentric or have been around for a very long time. But even then, they don't make emotional connections because of all their humanity leaving them. Mika cared for Yu, seemingly more than his own life. Maybe this story will make Mika happy. So, I decided to tell him about that strange day when Yu attacked me.


	2. Chapter 2

8 years ago:

The world was falling apart. Everything I had been used to, gone. The humans did this. That's what my father told me. It's their fault I'm being sent to the vampire city, Sanguinem, to stay with Ferid. The virus that the humans released shouldn't have affected me, but it did. To keep my safe, I left Nagoya. The virus had been cleaned out of the underground city so that means my body should stop hurting.

This is my third trip to the Sanguinem. The first two trips were short and I'd been with my father. Today, I had an escort taking me there. As they walked me through the city, it amazed me how many children were here. They all looked scared. Why? We vampires are saving their lives. The world is descending into chaos. Without us, they would be without guidance and all alone.

"Karina!" Ferid Bathory greeted me happily. Dad says he's eccentric, but I'd be safe with him. Unlike anyone else, Ferid pulled me into a hug. "Let me show you around."

His mansion was gigantic. Extravagant. There were so many hallways and rooms. It would be hard to go around unnoticed with how many guards were patrolling the hallways. It must be because of the world ending. There weren't as many guards the last times I visited. Business arose and Ferid left me trapped in my new bedroom. Two guards stood outside of my door.

After a few minutes of staring at the walls, I decided to sneak out. In Nagoya, it had become increasingly harder to sneak out and get away with it, but here? My odds of getting away were much higher. My suitcase hadn't arrived so I was stuck in my navy sleeveless dress that's collar hooked up around my neck. On the balcony, I waited for the guards to pass by. For a vampire, a drop from the second floor wouldn't hurt.

The city was massive. Navigating through all these streets was hard. In fact, when I stopped to look around, it became very apparent to me that I was lost. Kids stared at me with dirty looks. They whispered about my clothes. Trying to ignore them, I turned down another alleyway, colliding with a boy, who had dark black hair and green eyes.

"Ouch! Watch where you're goi-" He stopped mid-sentence to stare at me.

I only met his gaze for a second before dropping my head down. My hair wasn't long enough anymore for bangs, so hiding my red eye was hard. A lot of humans were confused by my two-colored eyes: one red and one blue. No one knew that half breed vampires existed except for those who knew me.

His voice shook with his next words. "A-are you a vampire?" When I didn't answer, he kicked my foot. "You are, aren't you? Answer me bloodsucker!"

Panicked, I jumped up, shoving him away from me with more force than I had intended to. He hit the wall hard. He's a threat. "I-I'm sorry," I said before running away. Unlike pretty much all the other vampires, violence didn't come easy to me. A lot of vampires are mean to humans because they can be.

Everything around me looked strange. I had no idea which way to go, or how to get back to Ferid's mansion. The more streets I turned down, the more lost I got. The effects of the virus still felt heavy in my body, making me weak. In a dead-end alleyway, I stopped to catch my breath, bending over and placing my hands on my knees. Running is not good when you're sick.

"That her?" A kid's voice asked from the entrance. He was tall, one of the older kids in the city.

"Yeah, that Hyakuya kid said she's a vampire. Look how she's dressed, she's definitely not one of us," a second kid said.

Both of the boys were much bigger than me. They rushed at me, grabbing my arms. "Hey! Let me go!" I struggled but it didn't deter them.

"Now what?" One asked.

"We kill her," The black-haired boy from before said, a small kitchen knife dangling from his hand. He exuded hate… towards me.

What had I ever done to him? My body grew weaker, the human side of me taking over. "Wait-"

"Yu?" A fourth boy, with blond hair and pretty blue eyes interrupted the scene. He looked at me, then back to the other boy. "What are you doing?"

"Go home, Mika. It's none of your business."

Mika ignored him, and came closer. "You can't just kill a girl. She's our age!"

"She's a vampire! All of them have to die!"

My head shook slowly as the two argued. I don't want to die! I don't deserve to die!

More kids gathered around, whispering about me. Can a vampire be a kid? Why is only one of her eyes red? Why is she so weak? More and more kids came, making me a spectacle. Someone had to notice this… There were city guards all over the place most of the time.

"If you won't kill her, we will," One shouted, kicking me in the stomach. Others cheered for him.

Mika slipped past Yu, jerking me away from the other children, shielding me with his own body. "Leave her alone! What do you think will happen? You think the vampires are just going to let you kill one of their own?" His head turned to look back at me, and he… smiled?

Who is this human boy? Why is he helping me?

Murmurs broke out and the crowd started to disperse. But his friend didn't quit. He rushed past Mika, tackling me to the ground. "No way! I'm not letting this opportunity pass me up! I'm gonna kill every vampire!" He shouted, raising the knife over his head.

Struggling to get away, tears spilled over. The boy hesitated for only a moment, but someone grabbed his arm, hauling him up with little effort. The uniform I recognized as a city guard, and when I looked over, it turned out to be someone I'd met before. "I found her, Lacus," Rene Simms said, pulling the screaming Yu off me.

Some of the braver boys tried to attack them. Humans are so stupid! Lacus seemed amused by their attempts to hurt him, and he easily tossed them aside. The view disappeared when the other human boy, Mika, crouched down next to me. "Are you alright? I'm sorry about him, he's a moron."

"I-I'm fine," I replied softly. He's nice… for a human.

"Quite the scene here," Ferid said, whisking into the alleyway. He's always in a good mood, no matter what happens. Always planning.

"Lord Ferid, this boy tried to kill Karina," Rene said. He still had Yu dangling from his hand, who continued to struggle and swing at him. This boy didn't know when he was beat.

Ferid laughed, amused at this. "A knife wouldn't have done too much damage to her, I'm afraid. We vampires are very hard to kill. I'll deal with this boy. You and Lacus make sure that our little Karina gets back to the mansion safely."

For the first time, I didn't mind being escorted. The experiences I'd had with humans had been limited, but this attempted murder had rattled me. Humans were terrifying creatures, though weak. I watched for as long as I could. Mika and Ferid were having a conversation that I couldn't hear, but it looked clear that Mika was protecting Yu. As far as humans go, I actually liked him. Back at the mansion, I was under lockdown again, awaiting whatever Ferid might do to me after my fiasco.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I wanted to address a comment made really quickly! First all, thank you so much for supporting my story and sharing a love of Seraph of the End! I understand the universe pretty well, as I tend to over-research all my fanfictions. I also understand that vampires don't have heartbeats, but Karina is half human, so her heart does beat most of the time! :D I just wanted to clear that up before moving on with this story! More on why that happens to her will be revealed as the story unfolds! Thank you for your time and enjoy the new chapter!**

"Back then, I didn't understand why he hated vampires so much. My dad had told me that we were saving the humans. He said we were the good ones. I was still a kid, you know?" I sighed but a smile grew on my face. "I never got to actually thank you for helping me. So, thanks, Mika. I'm glad we met that day."

Mika smiled softly and leaned in closer. "You're welcome, Karina."

My cheeks grew hot with how close he was. Here in the kitchen floor, it felt like all our problems were far away, and that we've known each other our whole lives. The silence was comfortable, but a question popped into my head. He used to be human… "Mika, why did you help me? You were human then, right?"

He nodded his head, looking up toward the ceiling to avoid eye contact. "You didn't cause this. You were a child, like us. Seeing how terrified you were, it didn't feel right to allow them to hurt you. Whether you were a vampire or not, it didn't matter." He gave a breathy laugh and turned his gaze back on me. "Thinking back on it now, it seems like no one was surprised that it had happened."

It was my turn to laugh. "Yeah, I used to sneak out a lot at home, so Ferid assigned Lacus and Rene to watch me. He made it a point to tell me, too, and I should have known he was baiting me. Getting out of the mansion unnoticed had been much easier than I had expected. At least, that's what I thought back then."

"They let you leave."

Nodding, I swirled my fork around in the leftover syrup. That incident had scared me. "Yes, to teach me a lesson. After that day, I never left without a guard again. Ferid told my father, too, who wasn't happy with me when I returned to Nagoya." Father can be scary when he's angry, and he dislikes it when I don't listen to others.

"There you two are! I've been searching all over," Ferid appeared across from me, leaning against the island counter. His signature smile on his face, meaning he was up to something. He watched us for a moment. "Did I interrupt?"

Blushing, I dropped my gaze to the floor. How much did he hear? Thankfully, Mika spoke up. "We were just catching up."

Ferid laughed and nodded his head. "I'm sure Karina loves that." He definitely knows about my crush on Mika. "But, Queen Krul has called a meeting of all the nobles, and wants everyone to attend. Since Crowley isn't here, Karina will go in his place, since she is his daughter. That makes her of 13th progenitor blood. I have another matter to attend to right now, so Mika will get you to the meeting hall safely." That was an order.

A meeting? It's unusual for such a large-scale meeting to occur. The last time I attended one, was over eight years ago, when the humans released that virus into the air, killing half the population. The vampires went into a panic, worrying about our food source depleting. That's when they called for the human child to be rounded up and taken to safe places, away from the virus. It was shortly after that meeting that I became sick and had to be sent here to the Sanguinem.

Mika stood, annoyed with Ferid's presence. "I will."

Satisfied with the answer, Ferid left us, still sporting that mischievous grin. He had a plan, something he wanted me to do. That's why he interrupted.

I set the plate in the sink, washing off my hands under the warm water. Mika had grown quiet, only following me around. Whatever had silently happened between the two of them, it had affected him enough to cut off his train of though. Kids from the city scurried around us, some glaring, others not making any eye contact at all.

Inside the large meeting hall, one of the older vampires was speaking at the microphone. We were late. Ferid waved at us from his seat, all alone in the row. It didn't surprise me that no one wanted to associate with him. Mika turned and walked off without a word, having completed his assignment. There was no other choice for me.

Taking the seat beside Ferid, I tried to concentrate on what the lady vampire was talking about. A human organization. The Seraph of the End project. None of this made much sense to me. When I turned my head to ask Ferid a question, I nearly jumped out of my seat when he touched my neck. The spot still stung from where Mika had bit me. That hadn't faded yet?!

"You'd do better to hide this, little Karina. It's taboo for vampires to drink each other's blood. I doubt they'd make an exception for you being half human." Ferid traced his fingers over the bite marks again. His calculating eyes watched me. "Mika bit you, I assume."

Covering the spot with my hand, I dropped my head down to rest on my knees. Cursing myself for not taking more precautions, I tried to come up with some kind of excuse. It's unlikely that Ferid would believe it, anyways. The anxiety of this situation was getting to me. Tilting my head just enough to look at him, I said, "I told him to."

Ferid laughed quietly, amused as always. "That's a big step from not being able to speak to him before today. What are you gaining from it?"

His question caught me off guard.

"Oh, come now, Karina. I've taught you well enough over the years to never give unless you get something of value in return. So, what is it you want? To be around Mika? For Mika to finally notice you? I can help you with that." It's a little scary how much Ferid knows. He is over a thousand years old, though. He'd piqued my interest, and he knew it. Ferid waited for me to give in.

I sat back up, still covering the bite mark. "Really?"

He tapped his finger on my nose. "Someone will have to look out for you on this war mission. And while typically I give that assignment to Lacus and Rene, maybe this time our little Mika would be better suited. At least I know you won't run away from him."

That's what this meeting had been about. A war on the human organization. The Japanese Imperial Demon Army. They were responsible for the end of the world, I think. They waged war on us vampires all the time. Before, I'd never been required to be a part of it. "I have to go?" I'd much rather stay here in the Sanguinem, where it's safe.

Ferid had turned his gaze on something else, but nodded. "You're no longer a child, Karina. The Progenitor council won't allow you to remain passive any longer. You are a noble, after all. Even though you lack fighting skills, as a vampire, you do possess strength and speed, no matter how hard you try to suppress the vampire in you."

I twisted my hands together in my lap. The vampire in me. That phrase had been used a lot when I was growing up. Be more like a vampire. Suppress the human side of you. That had been what the progenitor council had ordered when they decided not to kill me. In exchange for my life, I had been subjected to test after test. Research. They wanted to research me, they said. I knew better. I knew that what they really wanted was to see how powerful I could become if they poked and prodded me enough.

The meeting ended, and the nobles began to leave the building. Ferid stood, another grin growing on his face. "Now then, I will arrange that for you, but in the meantime, you'll be sent to the laboratory."

My head snapped up at his words. My heart thudded in my chest. "W-what?"

"Lord Ferid. We'll escort Karina to the laboratory," Rene said with Lacus by his side. The two of them were always together.

Escort me to the lab? Why now? It would be more logical to suspend the research due to the vampires going to war! Father didn't tell me that there would be tests run on this trip. What else could they possibly need to learn about me, anyways?

"Be a good girl and do as you're told. Crowley would be most displeased if you disobey this order. When you're finished, I'll have everything you want arranged for this away mission," Ferid said, as if any of that could outweigh the pain I was about to endure.

There isn't any way to get out of it. If the Progenitor council were to get word that I'd refused to go, they could vote to kill me. It didn't make the fear disappear. Not many knew about this laboratory. It had started out as a building just for collecting blood from the kids entrapped in this city, until I'd been sent here. Then on the very bottom level, it had become a torture chamber for me. Rooms filled with devices that caused pain physically and emotionally. Each time I go is worse than the last.

I might be a noble by blood, but to the Progenitor council, I was a new toy to explore. One day, they hoped I would be able to defeat armies all on my own. But, I don't want any of that. Violence wasn't in my nature. I'd refused to even learn to hold a sword properly. So, the tests became a way for them to control me. If there was a way to force me to comply, they wouldn't hesitate to force their orders on me.

They always forget.

The vampire in me, the part I try so hard to suppress, is wild, fierce.

If I wanted to, I could probably destroy them all.


	4. Chapter 4

The streets were less crowded today. The kids all seemed to be in hiding, and the number of guards patrolling was less than normal. It reminded me of when the world almost ended all those years ago. Walking in silence with these two made me nervous. Lacus is never quiet, yet he hadn't said a word to me. Trying to break up the awkwardness, I asked, "Why is it so empty out here?"

Lacus shrugged his shoulders. "We're preparing for war against the livestock. Everyone is busy with that. The Japanese Imperial Demon Army is a pain." Of the guards that were out here, they would keep their heads down as we passed.

"What's so great about the demon army?" I asked. That name had been brought up a lot, but I didn't know much about it. It sounded more serious than a regular army, but what hope do the humans have against the vampires?

Rene sighed. "They're impertinent humans who have dappled in magic they do not understand. That being said, they are resilient, and some can hold their own against us," he answered, refusing to even cast a glance in my direction. The two of them didn't dislike me, but only associated when they were ordered to.

Magic? Does that mean the demon in their name really means demons? From the books in Nagoya, I had read about some dark magic that would let a user control a demon. It seemed very hard to actually use in practice, as the demon sometimes won out and took over the host. If these humans have that kind of power… they might have a chance at defeating the vampires.

"Don't look so concerned, Karina!" Lacus said, loudly with his signature grin. "You're strong enough to kill any of them if you tired." He and Rene knew a lot about my vampire powers since they had been assigned to keep an eye on me most of the time. More than once, Lacus had tried to coax out that side of me.

Turning my gaze away, I mumbled, "I don't kill people." It doesn't matter if they're humans and they're supposed to be beneath us.

"One day, you won't have a choice," Rene replied.

It's annoying when others say that to me. It's a choice I plan to keep. Killing didn't feel right to me, whether it be a human or a vampire. The doctors say that is the human in me, but I know better. If my vampire side is in control, who knows what will happen. Could I even control my bloodlust? What if I were to hurt someone I care about?

The building we were going to had many levels, but the sublevels were for me and the others similar to me. Only hesitating one step at the front door, Lacus and Rene both latched onto one of my arms to keep me moving. There had been many times they had to drag me inside. The elevator doors slid open at sublevel 4. "We'll return for you later," Rene said, never showing any kind of emotion. Not many vampires did.

Lacus pushed me forward. The only way in and out of this floor was the elevator that they occupied. "The more useful that you are, the less time you'll spend here!" He grinned, like he knew something I didn't.

The head doctor, Dr. Maroh of the experiments waited at the desk. "This way, Karina Eusford." He shouldn't be labeled a doctor, more like a mad scientist. Each time I'd been brought here, he would poke and prod relentlessly. He's a master at finding ways to torture me. "Change here and come directly to lab 12." He held the door open to a large locker room.

The door hit the frame with a loud thud, making me jump. All alone in this cold room, I shivered. The camera in the corner was hard to ignore with its blinking red light, a constant reminder that someone was watching me. The locker with the numbers 235 written on a white label opened with a loud, metallic screech. Only recently had Dr. Maroh started calling me by my name instead of my experiment number.

Inside, the usual uniform lay folded in the locker, black scrubs. Even after doing this over and over, having to change with that camera on made me feel uncomfortable. I shielded my body as best I could, and then took my hair down to fix it into a single fishtail braid. This process had been engrained into my memory. The floor felt cold on my bare feet as I exited the locker room and headed to lab twelve.

This entire floor was massive, and I knew that the only way in or out was through that elevator. Many times had I tried to escape and never found another exit. The doors to lab twelve slid open when the sensor activated. There were four other doctors and scientist in the room besides the head doctor. He had an icy stare. "Sit," Dr. Maroh instructed, motioning to the hospital bed in the center of the room. He adjusted his glasses and picked up a large syringe. "I need to check your white blood cell count, first." He took the vials and left.

Another doctor hooked up a machine to me, to run my other vitals. My heartrate was faster than normal, due to being extremely anxious having to be down here again. These were all vampires. I'd never met a human doctor before. It made me wonder if human doctors would conduct these kinds of experiments. Gulping down my fear, I hesitantly asked, "Why are the white blood cells important?"

Doctor Reiss, as the nametag read, had to be new. He looked younger than the others, but what is young in vampire years? He pumped up the blood pressure cuff, smiling at me. No one ever smiles at me. "You mean you don't know?"

I shook my head. "No one ever tells me anything."

He nodded his head, like he understood. "Well, let me see…" He watched to cuff deflate and wrote down some numbers on the clipboard. "What's the easiest way to explain it?" He hummed to himself a little. "In the human body, there are white blood cells and red blood cells, right?"

"Um, okay?" I haven't studied human anatomy very much.

Doctor Reiss brushed his hand through his black hair. "Put simply, red blood cells carry oxygen to and from the heart," he said, tapping his finger above my heart. "White blood cells are for immunity and fighting off foreign invaders in the human body. Do you understand so far?" He waited for me to process the information.

"Red blood cells keep the human body alive. White blood cells keep the human body healthy."

"Right! Dr. Maroh's research is to create a host body that houses both human qualities and vampire qualities, hoping to mesh the two creatures together to make a stronger being all together. Most of his work has been unsuccessful, until you came along! You're our 1%, Karina. Special and unique," Doctor Reiss said, scribbling some more notes on his clipboard.

I chewed on my lip. Special? Neither species wants me. That makes me an outcast. "But, how was I successful?"

"Oh, right! Well, red blood cells had been our first experiment, but it ended up turning the host fully vampire or killing them entirely. The second phase worked with the white blood cells, but nothing worked. Injecting vampire DNA into the body had resulted in grotesque failures," he replied, pausing as he thought about it. "But with you, we took a pregnant human, while you were still in the early phases of development, and injected vampire DNA directly into the nucleus of the a few white blood cells."

"My father's DNA?" I asked. Then, I was conceived through normal human reproduction and altered while in the womb. This experiment seemed to have a lot of failures. As far as I know, I'm the only successful one in existence. It's strange because I've met some of the full vampires that were kept here in the building.

Doctor Reiss grinned at me, like he found me amusing. "That's right. Lord Crowley had a part in this experiment as well because Lord Ferid asked him to do it. We are still unsure which part of experiment made you successful. Your body has human red blood cells, which is what makes your heart beat and attributes to your organs working almost like a normal human. While your white blood cells have vampire DNA that slows your aging down, and one day you'll stop, becoming immortal like the rest of us."

Of course, Ferid had something to do with this. He's always making others suffer for his amusement. What's the goal of having a half vampire, anyways? I suppressed my vampire side, only drinking blood because it helped keep that side at bay. "Then why is Doctor Maroh so keen on torturing me when I'm here?" If I'm so important, why do I have endure all this torment?

"That's because you're suppressing your vampire nature. Under extreme circumstances, you utilize your white blood cells, creating more than the normal amount of a human. It gives you extraordinary vampire powers, stronger than most nobles have. We want you to be able to bring that side of you out for all vampire's benefits. Think of it, Karina! You could end the war with the humans and bring peace to all of Japan! Maybe even the whole world!" Doctor Reiss exclaimed, excitement bubbling up. He's a strange vampire.

Doctor Maroh entered the room again, a frown on his face again. "Karina, come with me. Your count is low. I need to increase it," he ordered, seizing my arm. This happens every time. They want me to be a vampire, but more powerful.

He'd dragged me down the hall and put me in a locked room before I could properly protest. This room was bare, only having a small bed, one bookshelf with a few old books, and a toilet in the corner opposite the door. This room brought back bad memories. There's only one reason he brought me here. To starve me. No blood. No food. The door was heavy steel, making it impossible to break down as I am. The lights were turned out, leaving me in pitch darkness. I slid down to the floor, holding my knees to my chest. Tears pooled in my eyes. I hate being an experiment.

How long will they make stay in here this time?


End file.
